Introduction
The gaming industry has come a long way since its early days, with new technologies and techniques constantly emerging to improve the gaming experience. However, there will always be a special place in our hearts for the classic games of yesteryear, many of which were created by small, independent companies that had big dreams and even bigger imaginations.
In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the most iconic old school game companies and their classic titles, exploring what made these games so special and why they continue to be cherished by gamers today. We’ll also discuss how these companies have evolved over time and what impact they’ve had on the gaming industry as a whole.
Atari: Pong
Atari was one of the first major players in the video game industry, founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. Their first big hit was Pong, which was released in 1972 and quickly became a cultural phenomenon. Pong was a simple yet addictive table tennis simulation that could be played by two players, either locally or over a network connection.
Pong’s success helped to launch the video game industry as a whole, and Atari went on to release many other classic games, including Space Invaders, Asteroids, and Pac-Man. However, the company struggled in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when the home console market shifted away from cartridges towards CD-ROMs. In 2004, Atari was acquired by Infogrames, which later merged with Vivendi to become Activision Blizzard.
Nintendo: Super Mario Bros.
Nintendo is another company that needs no introduction when it comes to classic video games. Founded in 1889 as a Japanese toy company, Nintendo began to explore the world of electronics in the 1960s and launched its first home console, the Magnavox Odyssey, in 1972. However, it wasn’t until the release of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1985 that the company really took off.
The NES featured a number of iconic games, including Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and Metroid. Super Mario Bros. was particularly successful, introducing gamers to the world of Mario and Luigi and helping to cement Nintendo’s position as one of the biggest players in the video game industry. The game’s unique blend of side-scrolling platforming and nonlinear level design helped to set new standards for gameplay, and it remains a favorite among gamers today.
Sega: Sonic the Hedgehog
While Nintendo may be best known for its Mario franchise, Sega is another company that has produced some truly iconic games over the years. Founded in 1946 as an electronics manufacturer, Sega began to focus on video games in the 1980s and released its first home console, the Master System, in 1985.
However, it was the release of the Genesis console in 1989 that really put Sega on the map. The Genesis featured a number of groundbreaking games, including Sonic the Hedgehog, which was released in 1990 and quickly became one of the most popular video game mascots of all time. Sonic’s speedy, agile gameplay and charming personality helped to capture the hearts of gamers around the world, and the character has since appeared in countless games and spin-offs.
Epic Games: Fortnite
While many classic games were created by small, independent companies, some of today’s biggest hits are being developed by much larger corporations. Epic Games is one such company, founded in 1991 by Tim Sweeney and Mark Rein.